Latent Dream (Summervale) [Cramler] [M]

[GoblinFae]

He gasped softly and whimpered as Fletcher came and went like the tide. "Then it shall wait," he replied with calm finality even as his eyes hungered for Fletcher. Theo swallowed and carefully sighed out a breath while stepping back from the other man.

"I need to mm—wash my face. I'll be right back." Theo tossed his book gently onto the bed and dashed off to his bathroom with a slight waddle to his stride. The water ran but it was several longer minutes than it needed to be to wash one's face before the nobleman returned looking more poised.

"Did you have a good start to your day?"

[Nightcrawler]

"Yeah. Sorry. I didn't mean to just — you, erm — do what you've got to."

He watched Theo make his hasty retreat, grimacing at how much of a fuck-awful tease he'd just been. "Sorry, love," he said again to nobody. Still, he wouldn't deny that it had bolstered his confidence. Theo hadn't been lying. He did want this. Or...maybe the book had just gotten him worked up. Who knew, really.

Fletch sighed and leaned against the door, arms crossed and eye aimed pointedly away from the screen. They were both so drunk on this thing that neither of them was thinking clearly, and it could have just spelled the end of their affair. They had to be more careful. Maybe he shouldn't be in this room at all without a chaperone, like they were a couple of handsy teens and not men bordering on middle-aged. 

When Theo re-emerged, he seemed to have calmed himself, though his question made Fletcher laugh a little. "I have now," he joked exasperatedly as he flailed his arms and let them fall to his sides. "Went clock shopping in town. Fuck all else, though. Enjoying your book?"

[GoblinFae]

"Any luck with that?" Theo grimaced and shook his head in disapproval. "It's something to pass the time. Plot-wise it has a lot of issues. Content-wise mm, they do a lot of physically impossible things that definitely ruin the escapism of it all. This author is always a bit hit or miss. Some books are passable and some are just pitfall trap after pitfall trap. I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about this one. The changing of my guard is certainly a much lucky and desired distraction."

[Nightcrawler]

Fletch grunted. "Oh. I mean — how good's the writing got to be, really? Both of 'em had their bits in the right places." He shrugged the thought off, wary of tempting anything else from Theo until well after dark. "Well...anyway. You seemed happy from where I was sitting. It was nice. I like seeing you like that. Tell me how to be less of a distraction, though, love, or we'll both be in a heap of trouble before we know it."

[GoblinFae]

Theo grunted with a grimace. "I'd like the writing to be better when it's my only form of entertainment. But, I suppose I can see your point."

He bent and replaced his shoes as well as shrugged on an outer robe to reduce the temptation for Fletcher. "Do you have a type of book you like then? Or hobbies you used to engage in that you don't here?"

[Nightcrawler]

"Nothing you haven't seen," Fletch said. "Besides cards, maybe. I tried picking up a banjo years ago, too. That didn't pan out. I don't really read. ...Used to write, back when I thought a memoir was important. I think it all burned down with the cabin. Either way I'm a shit writer," he snorted. "You really asking a drunk and a rake his hobbies to keep us from messing around, though?"

[GoblinFae]

"No, I'm not," he replied, lowering his voice. "I'm asking the man I care about his interests so that I may get to know him better. The drunk and the rake I do not believe are the entirety or main personalities and interests of my beloved bodyguard. But you may correct me if I'm wrong."

Theo sat down in his chair by the fire and looked to Fletcher expectantly. "Or do you know everything there is to know of me and I've fallen woefully behind?"

[Nightcrawler]

Fletch set his hands to his hips. Something about this rubbed him the wrong way, but he was hard pressed to find exactly what it was. It just seemed like such a...strange question. Because it was from someone who hadn't really lived, he realized, and then it all came together. He sighed and joined the man by the fire, legs spread wide as he leaned back. The way he regarded Theo was a bit like a challenge. "I don't. You can fix that by telling me, you know. As for me: I'll be plain. Not all of us have the luxury of sitting around all day being served. Until recently, I certainly didn't know life could be like this. I worked hard every damned day, mind. And if you don't know what that's like, I can't really explain to you why my outlets are women, and drink, and fighting, and gambling, can I? Hobbies are for the bored. Boredom is for nobles. The rest of us survive and we find small pleasures where we can. So ask me about my work instead, I suppose. Or my life. Hobbies aren't a part of it."

[GoblinFae]

Theo hummed softly. "Right." He felt like a fool. Of course his privileged self had hardly endured hardship in comparison to the other man. He was not the one covered in scars that spoke of horrors like Fletcher was. He kicked himself for being so naive and out of touch with things.

"Sorry," he muttered. "That was stupid you're right." Theo sighed and for several moments stared quietly into the fire. "What's it like living at sea?"

[Nightcrawler]

His face fell. He'd been harsh in making his point, and now there was something hanging between them yet again. "You couldn't have known," he said gently as Theo looked back from the fire to read him. "It's...cramped. Smelly, on account of the latrine pots and however many unwashed wankers you've got sailing with you. Always rats in the bilge, like a fact of life. The food's terrible on longer voyages, as I'm sure you can imagine. If you're lucky, like me, you're the captain's son and you get your own cabin. If not, you sleep in the hold with the other men. Which...isn't what your books would make it out to be, mind. There's no privacy and there's always some arsehole who's either sick or snoring or he's farting up a storm down there.

The rest of it's two things: hard work, and danger. When I say I don't want to start from the bottom again, what I mean is I probably can't at my age. It's back-breaking. There's always something to be doing. And if that something is climbing a mast during a storm, you're fucked no matter how strong you are. I seen a lot of men die senselessly. I seen more lose a leg or a finger to being thrown or crushed or falling from a height. And this was even on Dad's ship, where it was run like a damned machine meant to minimize losses to his business. The smugglers were ruthless."

He paused, gauging Theo's feelings on it all. His expression softened again as he took the man in. "To me, it was a cage, and I'll always look at it that way in some respect. To you, it might very well be freedom. So...come with me sometime. See it for yourself. Don't take the word of some old bastard and leave it at that."

[GoblinFae]

He listened intently, nodding along in understanding. "Aye, I've seen my father's ledgers back when I was still meant to be his heir. The supplies to support the journey there and back, the insurances for injuries, the routes and times of year that are best for each and what that means for cargo changeovers. None of that of course is something you can experience through paper but we've suffered damages enough time to squalls to imagine the true horrors."

Theo offered a small sympathetic smile and shook his head. "I know my books are just fantasy. They're a good escape but nowhere near reality I know, it's okay. Don't need to let me down gently on that one. As for sailing...it's your cage. I can't in good conscience place you back in it just to be free of mine...traveling could be fun though. Maybe one day..."

[Nightcrawler]

Fletch chuckled at the thought of Theo roughing it. "That much I can do. Traveling, I mean. Got so bloody used to it." He tilted his head to the side just a little, considering whether or not to go on. "Would it bother you if I talked about him some?"

[GoblinFae]

"Not at all," he replied easily. "I'm just respect our promise not to pry. But, he was a major part of your life. It's natural to have stories to share."

He eased back in his chair to slouch and stretched his long legs out in front of him and crossed them at the ankle. "Speaking of that promise though. It's alright with me if you pry. I want you to know me."

[Nightcrawler]

Fletch hesitated and picked at the arm of the chair. He thought of the beauty he'd seen in that quiet moment — of Theo lounging and reading, oblivious to the world around him. Of Theo's kindness, his warmth, his stubbornness, his grief. The quiet intensity returned to his gaze: his unrealized longing to touch this man's soul. "I want to know you, too, love," he said. "For all my talk, I'm just shit at knowing what to ask. But if I have questions, I suppose I'll know to ask them, now."

He went quiet for a while after that, gazing into the fire and ruminating. He really hadn't been the best to Theo in that regard, had he? It probably looked at this point like all he wanted from the man was his body. He'd just never had to ask. People told him or they didn't. If they didn't, then it wasn't his business. But for Theo, he'd find things to ask, if only for the man to be seen.

"I feel like a right arse," Fletch chuckled at last. "Always talking, never asking. No wonder you think I'm a bastard."

[GoblinFae]

He shrugged, unbothered by Fletcher's apology. It had never been an issue for him. But his shoulders dropped some and he had the good grace to look embarrassed. 

"Sorry, that's not exactly a great term of endearment now is it. Don't really think that one through and how it would make you feel. I like seeing you talk. I like knowing your stories and imagining the things you've done or understanding the things you're passionate about or against. I just don't have as many stories. I don't think you're a bad or horrible person though...just for the record. Just a rogue and a smuggler who has stolen something very special to me of late," he added with a fond smile. 

[Nightcrawler]

His chuckle became a hearty laugh, though when he spoke, it was still carefully quiet enough to stay between the two of them. "No, no. I wear that one as a badge of honor. I am a bastard, and proud of it. And I'm your bastard, and I like the sound of that. So don't stop calling me for what you see. Be a shame to never hear it out of your pretty mouth again."

Fletch grimaced after he'd said it. "Sorry," he added sheepishly. "It's hard not to be a relentless flirt around you now that I'm allowed. But I'll be good."

[GoblinFae]

His reassurance made Theo beam, his eyes crinkling with joy. "You are my bastard man, yes. But," he paused and looked around towards the door and placed one boot flat on the floor to see if he could sense any vibrations of people moving.

"If it is not too torturous for you and it is just the two of us...I see no reason not to flirt. If you're that concerned can always practice your signing.~"

[Nightcrawler]

"Heh. Yeah, that's...not what I'm concerned with, love," he said, lowering his voice until it was barely above a whisper. "I almost broke on the spot, earlier. I'm hanging on by a thread as it is. I don't want to be the reason that happens again." He chuckled and grinned in spite of the danger of it. Then he had a thought of a very different nature. "You know. One thing I've never asked you at all: do you like signing better? I'm shit at it, obviously, but...do you want that? When we're alone?"

[GoblinFae]

"Oooooh," Theo mouthed without making a sound. The next words out of Fletcher's mouth however caught the nobleman completely by surprise. Before he even realized what was happening, Theo was overcome with deep emotion and burst into tears on the spot. He covered his mouth as they came pouring down his face and he laughed wetly. 

"I don't think anyone's ever asked me that before," he explained, trying to fan at his face some and wipe the tears away aggressively. "And I realize now I'm such a rude cur. I've never once asked what your home language is or where you're originally from. I mean I suspect given what you've mentioned of rebellion and other things but...I'm so sorry."

Pulling himself together he continued. "Umm, I think I'd prefer sign, it's definitely a lot easier for me but I understand it has limitations and I don't require it if you at all. I—what you did the other night...that I would like again. Maybe. If you wanted. Don't have to though."

[Nightcrawler]

Fletch sat up straight, a panic at this sudden and alarming shift in his love's demeanor. "No — wait — I didn't mean to make you — " He relaxed somewhat, though, as Theo began to laugh, and his concern melted into relief. Well, and more concern, because he really was incredibly shit at signing. The number of times he'd gotten himself into trouble with it in Adela were too many to count. Maybe he was a smooth bastard in other matters, but in this one, he was horribly clumsy. "Alright. I did warn you I'm shit, though," he signed. "You've got to tell me when I fuck it up, yeah? Or just laugh at me. I'll get the message."

He tilted his head, looking Theo up and down and arching an eyebrow. "Besides, it's easier to be rude this way. And make you flustered. So I'm not about to complain," he added with a little smirk. "And I'm sure we'll be plenty close enough tonight for you to hear me again."

Fletch frowned and looked off to the side, his mind drifting to what Theo had asked. His lips parted habitually, and he began to speak aloud for a few seconds before realizing what he was doing. "Sorry. Love the sound of my own voice, it seems," he said before switching back. "It's been Trade most of my life on account of the business. It was Trade on the Mirabel. Trade in ports. Mum and the girls and I spoke a little of our own tongue, you know, but it's been so long. I almost can't remember. Only other ones I've picked up, really, are sort of useless outside of I'káa. I can speak Ven's tongue with Big Guy, but the rest of their people are dead, and Eln sort of just points, grunts, and hits things. And both of them have told me I'm shit at that one, too, so..."

He shrugged, smiling his charming smile. "Can't be good at everything, I suppose," he said aloud.